Black Box World (46)

In truth, the actual principle is that the internal appearance-part depends on the external appearance-part; the external appearance-part exists first, followed by the internal appearance-part. Without the external appearance-part, there would be no internal appearance-part. Therefore, when a person destroys an object, they not only destroy the internal appearance-part but certainly also destroy the external appearance-part, with the external appearance-part being destroyed first and the internal appearance-part immediately following. The external appearance-part of that object is definitely destroyed or vanishes, rendering it inaccessible to others or impossible to see again, which confirms that the external appearance-part ceases to exist.

Hence, it is said that destroying things incurs karmic retribution, stealing incurs karmic retribution, and killing incurs karmic retribution. This is precisely because destroying the external appearance-part causes loss to others, depriving them of its use, and is not merely confined to one's own internal appearance-part. If destruction were limited solely to one's internal appearance-part, then killing billions of people would incur no karmic retribution, and no one could hold one accountable. Therefore, acts like killing people, cutting down trees, destroying property, or stealing all involve the essence of the external appearance-part, thereby incurring karmic retribution.

Since the six consciousnesses can only contact the internal appearance-part and not the external appearance-part, how is it possible that the actions and functions of the six consciousnesses can involve changes to the external appearance-part? Herein lies a great secret. The external appearance-part refers to the relatively real material world composed of the four great elements externally. This "reality" is also relative to the internal appearance-part; in truth, it is not real either, being an illusion manifested by the Tathagatagarbha, and its substance remains fundamentally illusory. The only true reality is the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha; all other dharmas are illusory.

There is a saying: "Afflictions are none other than bodhi." Afflictions refer on one hand to greed, hatred, delusion, killing, arson, and other unwholesome dharmas, and on the other hand to daily trivialities like eating, drinking, defecating, and urinating. Bodhi refers precisely to the Tathagatagarbha. All dharmas are manifested and sustained by the Tathagatagarbha, and so is the external appearance-part. Therefore, the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of the external appearance-part are all accomplished by the Tathagatagarbha, and the internal appearance-part is likewise manifested and sustained by the Tathagatagarbha. All transformations of mountains, rivers, and the great earth are the work of the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha; the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of all dharmas are the work of the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha. The six consciousnesses can never directly alter the external appearance-part because they contain no seeds, do not correspond to the external appearance-part, and moreover, the six consciousnesses are dharmas born later—the internal appearance-part must exist first before the six consciousnesses can arise. Therefore, it is impossible for the six consciousnesses to directly change the external appearance-part. The Tathagatagarbha, however, contains the seeds of the four great elements and the six great elements; thus, all dharmas are determined by the Tathagatagarbha. Consequently, the direction for investigating these matters is already quite clear.

Since the six consciousnesses can only contact the internal appearance-part and not the external appearance-part, how is it possible that the actions and functions of the six consciousnesses can involve changes to the external appearance-part? Herein lies a great secret. When my hand picks up a book from the table, the hand can only contact the internal appearance-part of the book; what is picked up is the internal appearance-part of the book. Yet, the external appearance-part of the book is no longer on the table—others cannot see it or take it. What, then, is the connection between the internal and external appearance-parts? Which comes first, the internal or the external appearance-part? Of course, the external appearance-part comes first. Which changes first, the external or the internal appearance-part? Of course, the external appearance-part changes first. Where does the internal appearance-part come from? It is, of course, manifested by the eighth consciousness, the Tathagatagarbha, based on the external appearance-part.